Score improvement depends on your starting point and dedication to practice, but students typically see meaningful gains—often 50-100+ points—within a few months of focused preparation. The key is identifying your specific weak areas (whether that's pacing, inference questions, or vocabulary) and practicing with real PSAT materials. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction helps you target exactly what's holding you back rather than spending time on skills you've already mastered.

The most common struggles are pacing (running out of time before finishing all questions), distinguishing between similar answer choices, and understanding what inference questions are really asking. Many students also struggle with vocabulary in context—not because they don't know words, but because the test uses familiar words in unfamiliar ways. A tutor can teach you strategic approaches to tackle these challenges, like how to eliminate wrong answers efficiently and spot the clues the test writers leave in the passage.

Your first session focuses on understanding where you stand and what you need. You'll likely take a diagnostic practice test or work through sample questions so a tutor can identify your specific weak areas—whether that's main idea questions, detail questions, or timing issues. From there, you'll develop a personalized study plan with clear goals and a timeline that works for your schedule.

Practice tests are essential—they're how you build stamina, learn the test's patterns, and identify exactly where you're losing points. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions helps you develop pacing strategies and get comfortable with the question formats you'll see on test day. Between practice tests, targeted drills on specific question types help you refine your approach before you test yourself again.

Pacing comes down to strategy, not just speed. Many students waste time by reading the entire passage carefully before looking at questions—instead, effective readers preview the questions first, then read strategically. A tutor can teach you which questions to tackle first (usually the easier ones), how to spot when you're overthinking an answer, and when to make an educated guess and move on. With practice, you'll develop a rhythm that lets you finish with time to spare.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors for students in Charlotte who specialize in PSAT Critical Reading prep. You can share your current score, goals, and availability, and you'll be matched with a tutor who fits your needs. Whether you're preparing months in advance or need intensive last-minute prep, there's flexibility to work around your schedule.

Most students benefit from 4-8 weeks of consistent prep, depending on their starting score and target improvement. If you're aiming for a significant boost, starting 2-3 months before test day gives you time to work through different question types, take multiple practice tests, and refine your strategy. Even shorter timelines can be effective with focused, personalized instruction that targets your specific gaps rather than generic test prep.